Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Watson
Sorry Richard but from all the meetings I/ABA have had with the people who make the seasons, determine the draws, the number of tags, etc IF crossbows were ever allowed and with the subsequent increase in harvest rates, there would be shorter seasons with less overall opportunities for an increased number of hunters. That is FACT. As I said earlier, Saskatchewan bhtrs have been told that they would lose their archery season completely if a similar situation occurred there. Not sure how many times I have had to explain this but this is the last time for sure. Is far from simple I am afraid but very, very clear.
NOW, if you can convince the rifle hunters to give up some of their seasons and opportunities so crossbow users can have their own season, that would be an option for sure. If there was an Alberta Crossbow Association that could lobby for that, that would be another option.
OR convince these rifle hunters that if your efforts to have crossbows in an archery season succeed and the overall numbers of hunters in that season increase, then there needs to be an increase in harvest rates for those hunters and it would come from the general seasons and tag allottments.
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- I think we got it - horizontal bows in archery season may = more harvest = more draws overall which may = less general season tags and/or rifle draws. Makes sense to me and the mimimal reduction in rifle opportunity is something I would gladly trade for some opportunity to once again enjoy an early archery season. Having to draw a tag for some areas/species in whatever season seems fair enough.
And the problem from the ABA perspective is? More draws for archers apparently. At least we can agree the the only valid argument the ABA has against crossbows is the selfish one. All the fallacious arguments around sponsorship, muzzle loaders, OHV's et cetera that the "real bowhunters" throw out there are just desperate noise.
The ABA does do good stuff on on behalf of hunters and wildlife; it's a shame that they can't open thier minds on this issue.